Sunday, November 28, 2010

Is everyone still stuffed from Thanksgiving? Tired of leftovers? Well, you have come to the right place this week. We are totally turkey free and looking forward to some light and low calorie favorites this week (including Meat-Less Monday with Chef Brian in the kitchen).

2. What do you call the bright red thingy that hangs under a turkey's chin? A. Hoogie B. Snood C. Wattle D. Beard

3. Why do we call a Turkey.....a Turkey? A. A frightened turkey makes a turk, turk turk noise B. The name steams from the work TUKA, which means peacock in India C. The name comes from the native American name, FIRKEE - which rhymes with turkey D. All the above

4. Where do turkeys originate from? A. India B. Mexico C. Turkey D. The good old U-S of A

Answers:1. B; The biggest turkey known to man weighed in at 86 pounds -- about the size of a large German Shepherd. He was raised in the United Kingdom. Most domesticated turkeys weigh between 14 to 45 pounds -- live.

2. C; The wattle is the loose skin that hangs below a turkey's beak. If you thought "snood," you would have been close. The snood is also red, but it starts at the base of the turkey's beak and hangs over the top.

3. B; Columbus thought to be in India when he encountered his first New-World turkey. There are a lot of peacocks in India, and Columbus thought the finely-plumed turkey was its relative. Turkeys actually originated in North and Central America and have existed for about 10 million years.

4. B; Early explorers to the new world acquired a taste for this bird which originally was found in Mexico. It was brought back to Europe for their fellow Europeans to try.

5. B; according to Butterball, not quite 100% of the population eats turkey on Thanksgiving. Make sure you don't go to their house for dinner!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I was itching to get to Molbak's and explore. If you love Christmas and decorations and holiday ideas then this is the place to come (the rest of the year they are an awesome home and garden center).The trees and decorations are phenomenal! Including this tower of poinsettias. We wandered around for about 2 hours and came home with a couple of treasures.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

According to the website Curry Dishes, curry is a term used broadly to describe a number of spicy, sauced-based Indian dishes. In India, a curry is traditionally a gravy or stew, but other cultures have adopted the term to describe a variety of similar dishes.

Curry's popularity in recent decades has spread outward from India to figure prominently in international cuisine. Consequently, each culture has adopted spices in its indigenous cooking to suit its own unique tastes and cultural sensibilities. Curry can therefore be called a pan-Asian or global phenomenon with immense popularity in Thai, British and even Japanese cuisines.

I've been really hungry for some spicy, root vegetable curry. I think this will hit the spot.

Easy Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 Red Onion, chopped

1 Can Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), rinsed and drained

1 heaping tablespoon Peanut Butter

2 teaspoons, curry powder (or you can use a pre-packaged curry paste, red or Madras)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion and fry gently until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chickpeas and peanut butter and stir; then add curry. Once the peanut butter and spices have coated the garlic and onions, add coconut milk and stir.

Add the pre-cooked root veggies and lower the heat to medium low. Continue to cook until veggies are done about an additional 10-15 minutes; stir frequently (add a bit of water to thin if coconut milk thickens too much).

Serve on its own with crusty French bread, a bowl of rice or couscous. Top each serving with a tablespoon of cilantro.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Brian and I had dinner with one of my clients last Sunday evening. They've been asking us for over a year and the timing was perfect.

They live out in Oregon City, so Brian and I stopped off at the Willamette Falls observation turn-out. Our light was fading and the overgrowth made it hard to spot, but the area along the river is quite spectacular.

The falls are a natural waterfall on the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn. It is the largest waterfall in the Pacific Northwest...horseshoe in shape, it is 1,500 feet wide and 40 feet high with a flow of 30,849 cu ft/s. Located 26 miles upriver from the Willamette's mouth, a canal and set of locks allow vessels to pass into the main Willamette Valley.

We found our way into Oregon City and Ed and Alice drove us south on Highway 213, past the small towns of Mulino, Carus and Liberal, Oregon.

Then, out in the middle of nowhere (a small dot on the map) sits the Markum Inn. If you go, be prepared to wait in line, this is one busiest places considering they are out in the sticks (Ed and Alice have been customers for over 40 years). Ambiance is almost non-existent but the menu speaks for itself. American Style Food; Steaks; Seafood; Burgers; Italian Selections; Full Service Catering with wonderful BBQ. Sunday night is prime rib night and my "mama" cut was fabulous with just a hint of BBQ smoke.

Take a look at Brian's Chicken Parmesan!

Thanks again to Ed and Alice for treating us to a wonderful meal (with leftovers for several days).

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Welcome to another fabulous Monday. It's hard to believe that we are already in mid-November and just 12 days from Thanksgiving! I think a light and easy menu is in order for the week. Don't be tempted to dive into the holiday eating just yet.

Brian is at Rebecca Lane this week so I think I am going to take a night off and have him roam free in the kitchen!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

If you are like me, I could eat an entire meal on appetizers alone. Tapas bars and small plate bistros are all the rage these days, but my family has been preparing party sized nibbles since before I was born.

Whether you call them horsd'oeuvres, canapes, crudites, an amuse-bouche or finger foods, appetizers come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few that would be great to serve prior to your Thanksgiving Day feast.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Brown batches of meatballs, trying not to over-crowd the pan. Once brown, place on foil lined cookie sheet. To finish, place meatballs in a 425 degree oven and brush with teriyaki sauce, cooking about 5-8 minutes.

To serve, insert toothpick and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds (place some teriyaki sauce on the side for dipping)

Directions:Mix spices together in a small bowl. Heat large frying pan over medium-high heat; add oil. Once the chickpeas have drained well and dried, add them to the pan then add spice mix. Toast chickpeas until browned and crisp, about 30 minutes (adjust heat to avoid burning, if necessary).

Images courtesy of Google ImagesRecipes courtesy of Low Fat Lifestyle (do you think anyone noticed that all the appetizers above are low fat and healthy)?

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Please forgive us!We are still here…still love blogging, but very busy and not doing many activities that have pretty pictures attached. Here is a run down of the last few weeks…

Brian flew from Seattle, WA to Philadelphia, PA to teach a one day class (he’s racking up the frequent flier miles this year).

My dear sweet Uncle Steve was struck by a vehicle while crossing Main Street in Springfield, OR on a rainy and stormy Sunday night in late October.Thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated as he continues to improve and recover.

Steve in E Street pool September 2009

Chick and I attended our first Christmas “doings”….Al’s Festival of Trees the first week in November. We each came home with a Christmas treasure (and it took our minds off our troubles, if only for one evening).

Decorated the house for halloween/fall and cleaned out the flower beds (planted bulbs...iris, daffodil and last year's tulips). Opened the door for 18 trick-or treaters leaving us with a huge bowl of leftover candy and something munched on our front porch pumpkin nightly...very gross.

I was selected to the Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee and will serve a three year term which began on October 1st. Lucky for me, they held their annual meeting in Seattle this year, the first week in November. I met 24 incredible committee members from all over the United States, each with a unique background and all with a strong love of trains.I am very excited to contribute to the group.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

A few weeks ago I was thumbing through a stack of old cooking magazines and I ran across this soup. Last year, Brian and I made several pots of soup and since it is becoming that time of year again, I think this soup is in order for the week ahead.

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and saute onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occassionaly until vegetables are just turning brown, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir until incorporated, cooking about 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes and paste and bring to a boil, then add sugar. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer half the soup to a blender or food processor (you could also use an immersion blender) and pulse until smooth. Return the soup to saucepan and add the heavy cream and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and add in the last two tablespoons of butter.

To serve, top each bowl with croutons or serve aside a gooey cheesy grilled sandwich.